Internal combustion engine



o. .1. GINGERICH INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jun 1, 1929 SH01 new.

Patented July` 12,1932

UNITED STATES OTTO J. GINGERICH, OF TREENTON, OHIO INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Application led June 1, 1929. Serial No. 367,685.

j* This invention relates to internal-combustion engines of the Otto type, commonly referred to as the four-stroke-cycle type. In

an engine of this type the cycle of a given 'A piston includes, (1) a suction stroke, (2) a compression stroke, (3) a power stroke, and (4) an exhaust stroke. A One object of my invention is to increase the amount of power obtained from expendil ture of fuel. Another object is to reduce the deposit of carbon, and another to protect the piston rings from heat.

I shall now describe my improved engine with the assistance of the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cylinder and piston embodying m`y invention. For convenience it will be assumed that'the piston moves vertically, and that in this View it is at the upper end of its stroke;

, Fig. 2 is a view looking downward on the end of the cylinder, portions of the valve actuating mechanism having been removed, and

Fig. 3 -is an elevational sectional view of the cylinder and piston, showing the piston at nearly if not quite the ,bottom of its stroke.

The cylinder is indicated by the numeral 10, and the head is bolted to the cylinder in the usualway. The cylinder head comprises a flat plate 11, from which a member 12 extends into the' cylinder. For lack of a better name I shall call this member 12 a column. The piston is a composite structure,

one part of which is a deep cup, having a bottom 15 and wall 16. i. This cup is secured to member 17, which is the piston proper, having the usual packing rings 18-18 and carrying the usual wrist pin 19, connecting the piston to the pitman 20, of which a small portion is seen in Fig. 1. Thebottom 15 of the cup rests on the top of the member 17,

with a piece of heat-insulating material 21 interposed, a cap screw 22 securing the parts together. The cup serves as a guide for the piston in the cylinder.

As is well known, the conductivity of heat from one part to another of a mass of metal is very much lower where the heat must cross a joint in the metal, than where the metal is all in one piece. This is true even if the parts are in closecontact. For this reason comparatively little heat is communicated from the wall of the cup to the cylinder wall. The wall of the cup shields from 56 the heat of the flaming gas a zone of the cyl-V inder equal in length to the altitude of the cup. This, coupled with the fact that much heat is dissipated by the ribs on the outside of the cylinder (or by a water jacket), pre- 60 vents the cylinder heating in the neighborhood of the packing rings. Thus the rings are kept cool. As is well known, loss of compression is dueto overheated rings.n Thus by keeping the rings cool the engine is made to operate at the contemplated compression. Another advantage of cool rings is that less oil is allowed to pass to the cylinder, and thereby the formation of carbon isreduced.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will lbe observed that there is but little space between the apex of the column and the bottom of the cup. In fact it is but little more than a safe clearance. It results that at the endof the compression stroke of the piston most of the fuel mixture is compressed into the annular space 25 between the column 12 and the cylinder wall. For this reason, and for lack of a better name,

I call this space 25 the compression chamber.

In the apex of the column, and opening into y the above mentioned clearance space 26, is a fuel inlet valve 27. This valve has a stem 28 that passes through the cylinder head, between Which and adjusting nuts screwed on the end of the stem is a compression spring 35 29. Above the` valve 27 a chamber 30 is f formed in the column, with which chamber a pipe 31 connects. An explosive mixture of fuel and air is supplied to the pipe 31 through a carbureter orany other of the well known 9 fuel supply devices. If the engine has aplurality of cylinders the pipe 31 may tap a fuel manifold.` All of this being well understood and in common practice it is needless to illustrate or describe it in detail. For the purpose of cooling theacolumn 12 Ventilating pockets 32 may be formed. In a water cooled engine these may be closedpassages and included in the circulatory system. 10o

Ignition of the charge is yeffected in the usual way with a spark plug, the electrodes of which are located in a recess or bay 33 connected with the chamber 25. An exhaust valve 34 is provided, which opens from a similar bay 35. Operating mechanism for this Valve is not shown, but it is understood that the valve may be operated by the usual mechanism. The fuel valve, in the form shown, 'does not require operating mechanism; it is a mere check valve, opened by atmospheric pressure during the suction stroke of the piston, and closed by the spring 29.

I attribute the high efficiency of my engine to two principal things. One of these is efficient packing rings in the piston, which has been discussed, and the other is segregation of the products of combustion remaining from the last explosion in the closedend of the compression chamber, that is, near the base of the column 12. I shall now explain how this segregation is effected.

Referring to Fig. l, and assuming that the piston has just completed its exhaust stroke, it is plain that the compression chamber is full of products of combustion remaining from the last explosion, at approximately atmospheric pressure. As the piston moves downward the space vacated by the upper end of the wall 16 of the cup receives old gas from the lower part of the chamber 25, and from the clearance space 26, this old gas beingreplaced by new fuel mixture entering at 35 the valve'27. By the time the upper end of the cup reaches the lower end of the column allof the old gas is in the upper part of the chamber 25', the lower part of the chamber and the cup itself being filled with explosive mixture which has entered at the valve 27. Having completed its suction stroke, the old gas being still confined to the upper part of the chamber 25, the piston starts its compression stroke. Plainly the old gas in the upper part of the chamber is compressed along with the new gas and as its volume decreases it retreats toward the upper end of the chamber 25, until by the time the piston reaches the upper end of its compression stroke practically all of the old gas will be in the bays 33 and 35, and perhaps there will be a thin layer adjacent the cylinder head ll.

While I have called the space 25 a compression chamber, it may as well be called a combustion chamber, for it performs that function too.

The presence of the cup is not essential to the process of segregating the old gas in the upper part of the chamber 25. If the cup be removed, and the piston extended so at the end of its stroke it clears the apex of the column only a short distance, the major part of the old gas will be found compressed in the upper part of the chamber 25 at the end of com- 05 pression stroke.

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yIt should be noted that compressing the fuel charge into the thin annular chamber 25 and the very thin space 26 attenuates the charge, spreading it over a large area of heated surface. This produces two desirable results: First, the charge is heated to a high degree, thereby increasing its combustibility, and second, the parts are subjected to less heat per unit of area than in other engines, reducing the difficulty of cooling the engine.

While Iv have shown what I now deem the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is not to be understood that I limit myself to this structure, yas modifications of the structure may be made without departure from the spirit or exceeding the scope of my invention. lfVhat I claim as my invention is as follows: l

l. In an internal-combustion engine of the four-stroke-cycle type, a cylinder having a head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular compression chamber, and a piston comprising a member having packing rings and a deep cylindrical cup, the bottom of which cup is secured to said member with a layer of heatinsulating material between them, the wall of the cup, which shields from the flame of combustion a zone of the cylinder equal to the altitude of the cup, occupying a large part of the compression chamber at the end of the exhaust stroke of the piston, the column then nearly fillin the cup.

2. In an internal com ustion engine of the four-stroke-cycle type, a cylinder having a head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular ycompression chamber, a piston comprising a member having packing rings and a deep cylindrical cup, the bottom of which cup is secured to saidv member with a layer of heat-insulating material between them, the wall of the cup` which shields from the fiame of combustion a zone of the cylinder equal to the altitude of the cup, occupying a large part of the compression chamber at the end of the exhaust stroke of the piston,.thecolumn then nearly filling the cup, and means for introducing an explosive mixture between the apex of the column and the bottom of the cup during the suction stroke of the piston, to the end that practically all of the products of combustion remaining from the last explosive stroke shall be confined in the annular part of the combustion chamber and be driven to the closed part thereof during the compression l stroke of the piston.

3. In an internal combustion engine of the four-stroke-cycle type, a cylinder having a head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular com ression chamber; a piston comprising a member having packing rings and a deep cylindrical cup, the bottomof the cup being secured to said member with a layer of heat-insulating material between them, the wall of the cup, which shields from the flame of combustion a zone of the cylinder equalto the altitude o the cup, occupying a large part of the combustion chamber at the end of the exhaust stroke of the piston, the column then nearly filling the cup; and means, including a valve in the apex of thecolumn, whereby an explosive mixture is introduced into the cylinder during the suction stroke of the piston.

4. In an internal .combustion engine of the four-stroke-cyc-le type, a cylinder having a head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular compression chamber, a piston comprising a member having packing rings and a deep cylindrical cup, the bottom of which cup is secured to said member with a layer of heatinsulating material between them, the wall of the cup, which shields from the flame of combustion a zone of the cylinder equal to the altitude of the cup, occupying a large part of the combustion chamber at the end of the exhaust stroke of the piston, the column then nearly iilling the cup; means Jfor introducing an explosive mixture between the bottom of the cup and the apex of the column during the suction stroke of the piston, and a spark plug, the terminals of which reside in a bay situated near the base of th column.

5. In an internal combustion engine of the four-stroke-cycle type, a cylinder having a4 head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular compression chamber, a piston comprising a member having packing rings and a deep cylindrical cup, the bottom of whichis secured to said member with a layer of heat-insulating material between them, the wall of the cup, which shields from the flame of combustion a zone of the cylinder equal to the altitude of the cup, occupying a large part of the combustion chamber' at the end of the exhaust stroke of the piston, the column then nearly filling the cup; means for introduc- Ling an explosive mixture between the bottom oi" the cup and the apex of the column during the suction stroke of the piston', a spark plug, the terminals of which reside in a bay situated near the base of the column.

6. In an internal combustion engine of the four-stroke-cycle type,.a cylinder having a head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular compression chamber, a piston which at the end of its inward stroke approaches close to the apex of said column, and means, comprising a valve in the apex of said column, opposite the piston, whereby an explosive mixture is introduced into the cylinder during the suction stroke of the piston.

7. In an internal combustion engine of the four-stroke-cycle type, a cylinder having a` a piston comprising a deep cup, the side wall y of which enters said chamber on the compression stroke of the piston, the bottom of the cup approaching close to the apex of the column at the end ofthe stroke, thereby driving the major part of the compressed charge into said annular chamber, and means for introducing an explosive mixture at the apex of the column on the suction stroke of the piston.

9. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a head, a column of cylindrical form attached to said head and extending toward the other end ofthe cylinder, thereby forming an annular compression chamber, a piston comprising a deep cup, the side wall of which enters said chamber on the compression stroke of the piston, the bottom of the cup approaching close to the apex of the column at the end of the stroke, thereby driving the major part of the compressed charge into said annular chamber, means for introducing an explosive mixture at the apex of the column on the suction stroke of the piston, and means near the closed end of the compression chamber Jfor igniting the charge.

10. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a head, a column of cylindrical form attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular compression chamber, a pistonv comprising a deep cup, the side wall of which enters said chamber on the compression stroke of the piston, the bottom of the cup approaching close to the apex of the column at the end of the stroke, thereby driving the major part of the compressed-charge into said annular chamber,

one-third of the piston stroke, which, when the fuel charge is most compressed, contains most of the charge, said chamber being of such shape `in cross-section that the charge is reduced to a broad, relatively thin body.

12. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an annular combustion chamber which, when the fuel charge is most coinpressed, contains most of the charge, said chamber being of such shape in cross-section that the charge is reduced to a broad, relatively thin body, and means for igniting the charge at the edge remote from the piston.

13. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an annular combustion chamber which,'when the fuel charge is most compressed, contains most of the charge, said chamber being of such shape in cross-section that the charge is reduced to a broad, relatively thin body, and an exhaust port contiguous to the edge of said chamber remote from the piston.

14,. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a permanent annular combustion chamber which, when the gaseous content of the cylinder is most compressed, contains most of said content, said chamber being of such shape in cross-section that they content thereof is a' broad, relatively thin p body.

15. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an annular combustion chamber which, when the gaseous content of the cylinder is most compressed, contains most of said content, said chamber being of such shape in cross-section that the content thereof is abroad, relatively thin body, and means for introducing fuel to said chamber at the edge contiguous to the piston.

16. In an internal combustion enginefa cylinder having a head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular combustion chamber, a piston which at the end .of its inward stroke approaches close to the apex of said column, and means forV introducing fuel between the piston and the 'apex of the column. n

\17. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular combustion chamber, a piston which at the end of its inward stroke approaches Close to the apex of said column, and means for in.

l troducing fuel between the piston and the apex of the column.

18. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a head, a column attached to said head and extending toward the other end of the cylinder, thereby forming an annular combustion chamber, a piston which at the end of its inward stroke approaches close to the apex of said column, means for introducing fuel between the piston and the apex of column, and means for igniting the mixture at a point contiguous to the closed end of the combustion chamber.

AE20. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an annular chamber wherein a gaseous charge, introduced at substantially atmospheric pressure, is compressedand then ignited, said chamber being of such shape in cross-section that the charge, when compressed, is a broad, relatively thin body.

21. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having a permanent combustion chamber of such form and proportions that when the fuel charge is compressed therein it becomes very attenuated, and means for introducing a charge of combustible gaseous mixture to said cylinder at substantially atmospheric pressure and compressing it in the cylinder.

' OTTO J. GINGERICH. 

